A common-law



March 20, 1928, H. M MlLLAN LAVATORY FIXTURE g a Filed Oct. 15. 1922.

Reiaued Mar. 20, 1928.

a Re. 16,913

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY MACMILLAN, 0F PHILADELPHIA, vIEIE'J'N'NSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL METAL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A COMMON-LAW TRUST.

Original No. 1,591,429, dated July 6, 1926, Serial No. 594,368, filed October 13, 1922.

' filedluly 2s, 1927.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in a lavatory fixture, and more particularly to a flush tank operating lever for use in actuating the ball controlling outlet from a tank having for its primary object to provide an operating lever pro ecting through the wall of a tank fulcrumed at a suitable point intermediate its length and adapted to actuate the flush or ball lever by a slight pressure upon the outer end of the operating lever.

Other objects of the invention are to fulcrum the operating levers that they may move vertically, horizontally, diagonally, in the arc of a. circle or universally.

Further object-s of my invention are to provide nipples with a. straight bore either round, oval or other suitable shapein cross section flared in one or two directions or produced of two castings suitably connected as by screws. i

Still further objects of this invention are to fulcrum the operating levers by means of a pin passing through 1t, under it, over- 1t, on one or both sides, by means of a ring within the nipple either separate from or attached to the operating lever or by fulcruming said lever upon a portion of the nipple at either end or at any point intermediate its ends.

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and .then specifically designated by the claims. I

In order'that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, may understand how tomake and use the same, I will describe its construction in detail, referring bynumerals to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this apphcation, in which Fig. 1, is a vertical sectional view of a flush tank operating lever embodying m invention and showing it applied to the front wall of a flush tank.

Fig. 2, is a rear end view thereof removed from the tank with a portion of the ball lever broken away.

Fig. 3,'is an edge view of the fulcrum plate, bracket or hanger for the ball lever.

Fig. 4, is a similar view of a slight modification showing the ball lever attached.

LAVATORY FIXTURE.

Application for reinuc Serial No. 208,613.

Fig. 5, is a similar view of a further modification. I

Fig. 6, is another similar view of a further modified form.

Fig. 7, is a fragmentary sectional view of the tank wall intermediate its front and rear faces looking rearwardly to show the position of the lugs on the fulcrum bracket relative to the nipple.

In carrying out my invention as embodied in Figs. 1 and 2, the reference numeral 2 represents the wall of a flush tank havin a hole 3 therethrough for the insertion o a. nipple t,tl1e forward or outer end of which isexpandedor enlarged to form a flange 5 for engagement .with the outer face of the tank wall. The rear or inner end of this nipple is externally threaded to receive the nut 6 for fastening the nipple in place.

On the forward or outer end of the nipple is mounted an escutcheon 8 when desired and this escutcheon may be of porcelain or other suitable material having an opening 9 communicating with the bore 10 of the nipple and in this bore is fulcrumed the operating lever 11 as by a pin 12 passing through the operating lever with its ends set in the walls of-the nipple. a

As here shown this operating lever is formed from a metal bar of circular cross section having its outer end 13 offset from the main body ortion of the lever and projecting oblique y to the axis of the'main body portion, said outer end being threaded for connection with the push button or knob 14, here shown as comprising ametal corelosurrounded by a jacket 16 of suitable material, such as porcelain for instance. Such a "construction provides for producing the major portion of the push button or knob ofheavy relatively inexpensive metal or material and covering or facing this core with a higher grade of different material or y metal which may possibly be lighter in weight and in some cases it is desired that the outer end of the operating lever beweighted to act as a counterbalance for the ball oiifiush leverand its component parts to the end that less pressure or force will be required for actuating the device. In this particular form of the invention the operating lever is fulcrumed adjacent the inner end of the nipple with the inner or rear end of said lever underlying and contacting with the lower'edge of they ball or flush lever 17 intermediate its ends. The fixed or pivoted end of the ball lever 17 has a turn over portion 18 spaced from and v to provide an extended bearing surface for operating lever and since the holes in tanks '7 of this character are generally rectangular the ball lever on the pin 19 which acts as its fulcrum or pivot, the ends of said pin being set in the fulcrum plate, bracket or hanger 20, the bent over extension 21' spaced from and parallel with saidbracket or hanger the said extension with a portion of the bracket or hanger also forminga housing'for the pivoted .end of the ball lever- 17. The fulcrum plate, bracket or hanger has a hub 22 which is disposed betweenthe nut 6 andthe inner face of the flush tank wall. bracket or hanger QOY must be held inyan angular position or in such a position that the pivot point of the b all"lever above and to one side of the innereoacting end of the onsome non-circular in shape,' 1' provide a number of positioning or locking lugs 23 on the bracket or ban er and more particularly the hub thereof wi l occupyportions of the hole inthe tank wall through which the nipplepasses but notfilled by said nipple, as for instance the corners of a square hole and these locking lugs engage the tank wall v surroundin the, hole will prevent movement of thebrac et or hanger.

seen ,that the nipple with or 'without an {wcutcheon and having an operating'lever fulcrumed therein may be readilyinserted in the hole through the tank wall and then the bracket or hangerjwiththe ball lever'attachedprOperly positioned and all of the parts secured ln-plac'e by the screwing of the nut 6 on the inner projecting end of the nipple. Wherethe outer end ofthe operating lever is weighted as here shown the ball lever with .its; component parts will -be counterbalanced by saidzweig ted operating lever so that the only force orpressure necessary to actuate the operating lever will be that which will overcomethe pressure ofthe water in the tank upon the ball controlling the outlet from said tank, it being under;

I stood that such a ball although not shown is; eonnected b its stem with theball lever the upper en of said stem being inserted inv one of theholes 24 at the outer or free end of the ball lever. r v

In; Fig. 4 1 have shown abracket or hanger-2 5 having locking-lugs 26 .for use in the same manner as those designated by the numeral 23 and provided with; a turned over extension 27 parallel with a portion of the bracket lying close to said portion so as to provide an extended bearing for the pivot pin 19 on which is fulcrumed the ball lever 17 As the From the foregoing description itwi'll having the turned over portion or extension 18 forrned with the lnain'b ody ;portipn of the said Ieverand extended bearing" on the pin 19 Outside or beyond the turned overexten- 'sion' otthe'braeket" or hanger. parallel with the main portion of-sald lever In' Fig. 5. is shown a similar bracket 28 havinglocking lugs 29 arrangedinrth'e same manner as" above set forth but this bracket z a g r a a sing e t g 3 1 11 si e of which is pos iti'oned the main body portibii of the ball lever 17 While its turned over portion or extension 18 is positioned on the opposite side of the tongue 30 and through theseparts is inserted theipivot pin'19. This ustra es s i t y di e mc of pr -J du cing an extended bearing for the pivot pinlthe balll'evr only. 7 I

Approximately the same arrangement shown in 5Tis illustrated in F ig, 6 with the except ibn'that the loop formed by the turned over portion or extension 18' at the ball lever 17 is extended to provide an overang n able wei g t can; overbalance the long free end" of thefopera t ing lever and its tom:

pone nt parts for the same purpose as when the onterwend of the operating lever is" weighted or to assist the weighted operating lever counterbalancing the other elements; ot course I do not wish to limited to the details of constructionas herein shown as these may be varied within the m t c the app n df c ai th t partlng fromthe spirit of my invention.

; Having thus; fully described myin'v'en'tion,

what Iyclaim to be new and useful is ,f l In adeviceof the character stated a ulcru ra ke sons ti o hub having lQ k ala s w arm and a w' portion said last nan'ied portion and the arm having aligned holes therethrough lfor the reception of means to support a'ball -'7 it w a ln a devic e of the character stated, a al l vel: havin awtu n d. abk p t'i said turned back portion having a in its extreme free end in, alignment with" a le in e bed) o t e lev xer we h Injounted'within ,the loop formed by the i dl ckpb'r o J a 1, 3; In combination with a flush tank hav} ing a holflin one of the walls thereof,.a

projection 31 ,for carrying a suit passing through the walls of the nipple and the push lever to fulcrum the latter within said nipple.

4. The combination with a tank having'a hole in one of its walls, of a ni ple havin at-least one cross sectional imension su stantially filling said hole, a fulcrum plate mounted on said nipple and provided with lugs occupying the spaces within the hole unoccupied by the nipple and means on the ni ple to hold said nipple and the plate in p ace on the tank wall.

5. The combination With a tank having a hole in one of its walls, of a nipple in said hole and provided with a flange to secure said nipple against the outer wall of the tank, an escutcheon engagin said flange, an operating lever pivoted wit in the nipple and extendlng thru the escutcheon, and a handle on the outer end of the o crating lever and covering the hole-in sai nipple and escutcheon.

6. In a flushing device, anipple; a lever; a pivot supporting said lever for vertical movement within said ni ple; bearing means associated with said nipp e; a ball lever journalled on said bearin means and arranged at right angles to said first mentioned lever and coacting therewith, whereby movement of the outer end of said first mentioned lever will actuate the ball lever.

7. In a flush tank operating mechanism a lever passing through a tank wall and pivoted upon a pin; a second lever within the tank and at right angles with the first mentioned lever and means to fulcrum the second lever for coaction with the first lever. 8. In a closet flushing mechanism, a lever passing through an a erture in a tank wall,

9. In a closet flushing mechanism, a lever passing through an aperture in a tank wall and pivoted upon a pin secured to the apertured wall, a fulcrumed member to actuate an outlet valve, said fulcrumed member mounted for direct coaction with the lever.

10. In a closet flushing mechanism, a member secured to an apertured tank wall, a lever passing through the aperture in the tank wall and pivoted u on a in attached to the member, and a fu crume member within the tank to coact with the lever.

11. In a closet flushing mechanism a fulcrumed member within a tank, and a lever fulcrumed upon a pin secured to an apertured wall, and passing through the tank wall, to actuate the member.

12. In a closet flushing mechanism, a member carrying a pivot pin and secured to an apertured. tank wall, a lever passing through the hole in the tank wall and pivoted upon a pin secured adjacent the member and a second member pivoted upon the first mentioned pivot pin, said second member coacting with the lever.

13. In a closet flushing mechanism, a fulcrumed member within a tank to actuate an outlet valve and a lever fulcrumed at a fixed point intermediate its ends, and pass in through the tank wall, to actuate the fulcrumbed member.

14. A mechanism for operating a flush tank discharge valve comprising, in combination, means supportedon a tank wall to fulcrum a lever at a fixed point intermediate its ends, said lever, and a member fulcrumed in the tank and supporting the discharge valve and coacting with the lever to be actuated thereby.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto aflixed my signature.

- HARRY MACMILLAN. 

